It's been an interesting year so far. I've lost both my Moms.
My mother died in January after a long decline. Soon after, my Mother-in-Law went in for bypass surgery. While her heart healed, other issues zapped her strength and she died April 22.

I may have challenge update posts but I don't know when I'll be posting regularly or when I'll get to visit everyone who is working on the challenges I'm hosting.

Book Blurb
Do you remember that one moment (or maybe there were several) that changed your life for the better when you were a child-and shaped part of who you are today?

We all have those stories, and we can all-now-make those stories happen! All it takes is one moment out of your busy day, and you can be that someone in the life of the very next child who comes across your path.

Read story after powerful story of lives changed because someone took just a minute to connect in the life of a child. Stay alert-you never know when your opportunity will come.

A Quick Note
Wess Stafford is the President Emeritus of Compassion
International and a passionate, global advocate for children in poverty.
Compassion International is a Christian child sponsorship organization
dedicated to the long-term development of children living in poverty
around the world. Scripture is quoted and examples of sponsored
children are used. This does not read as one long commercial for
Compassion International but it is a large part of the story as Mr.
Stafford was President and CEO when it was first written.

My Thoughts
I'm still in the introduction but this hit me hard and I wanted to share. If you remember nothing else, remember this. . .

With each child you encounter, you have the power and opportunity to build up ... or sadly, to tear down. A life can be literally launched with as little as a single word, an uplifting comment, a well-timed hug, a tender prayer, a compliment, the holding of a frightened hand, or the gentle wiping of a tear--all in just a minute!

And all of us, with no training, are qualified to do it.

The way we interact with each child we come across can have lasting repercussions. Now to just remember that.

back to reading . . .

Make sure you have tissues. You might want to read these one section or even one story at a time instead of like me--trying to finish the book in two days. There is an Introduction and a conclusion, between these there are seven sections. Some of the sections are longer in that they have more stories in them. I'd carve out some time to read the intro and section 1 plus time to wash my face of tear tracks before moving on to the next section another day!

back to reading . . .

There is a story of a man standing up at a teacher's conference and saying that a teacher had helped him on his path from a shy boy who stuttered to a confidant man who wanted to help others like she did. When asked if he had told her he said no, but she knows now. The audience assumed the teacher had died. No, she was also in the audience.

There is also a story about a father saying to his only child, his daughter, that he'd rather have had a boy.

In each case it was "just a minute". Luckily, the daughter didn't drop into a sea of unworthiness but instead she grew a need to do whatever she could to change the world's assumption that boys are better.

Everybody has "a moment", even Hitler. Just think what the world would be like today if his father hadn't made fun of him. He was a drunk and abusive man but Hitler's sister writes of a pivotal moment when it was laughter hit him instead of fists.

{As a side note-and not mentioned in the book at this time: I can't help but think of stories not written, cures not discovered, things not invented all because a child had enough "minutes" and committed suicide.} - or is stuck in poverty.

back to reading . . .

I'm sad to say that there are some children we won't be able to give a minute too. Their parents have molded them so that any of our minutes don't have a place to stick. If we're going to change the world, we've got to change parents too. I also believe that the ones who need this book most, won't have any desire to read it. My kids turned okay but I still wish I had read this book before I started volunteering at the school.

back to reading . . .

There's so much to share. How about a new child inviting the entire class to their birthday party and you're the only one that shows up. Thirty-six party favors, ice cream and cake for thirty-six kids and there are only two at the party. The party girl and a guest who's mother made her go. And at the end of the party when she was picked up? "I can't wait to tell everyone at school what a great party they missed."

How about fishing with your dad and catching the biggest fish every but having to put it back because the season for that fish didn't open for another two hours.

Here's another fishing one. Dad is teaching both boys to cast. He calmly asks one of them not to move, teaching about knowing where you and your friends are in relation to your cast. All the while, he's digging a fishhook out of his ear.

Words can have a powerful and life-altering effect. Sometimes they change a life for the worse, they can also enrich our futures in powerful, even eternal ways.

I'm ready to share. There is still more to read but I'm ready to stop talking now and will leave you with this.

I draw comfort in the fact that, although, like you, I am only one, I am still one--and so is the very next child I meet. Moment by moment. One by one.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary review copy of this book without any obligation to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and may differ from yours. Book information courtesy of amazon.

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